The Master Of Zooz

[phawk69]

"You know, if we, meaning Kalmer and myself, just came strolling down the street as if we had just left the party, and entered the Inn, we could announce loudly that we have the pass to get into the lower levels of the Temple. Then, as a group, we could head to the Temple and go below. Surely these two thugs, whoever they are, wouldn't attack all of us if they are only interested in Tiax and Aldhelm. They may follow us, and we could burn that bridge when and if we get to it, maybe have a nice long chat with them in the lower parts of the Temple, where there are already strange whispers, and no witnesses." T'skar smiles a tad cruelly.

[Abramul]

"I'm inclined towards the Temple myself, as it affords a variety of posiblilities depending on which way the interview goes...we could leave them passed out 'drunk' on the upper level, or, at the worst, stick them in some corner down below. Who's to say they weren't killed by whatever's whispering?"

[karkarinus]

ooc> regardless of what is decided:

 

ic> "I think you should go back to the inn, Kyto, and tell the others what we are to do." Says Kalmer. "Besides, I have this uncanny feeling that I have left something in there, and wish to return to see if I can remember what it is." he shakes his head pensatively.

[Malchik]

OOC> Okay, we'll assume everyone knows the plan and as a full group you leave the lodging to visit the temple (with Kalmer of course :D )

 

IC>

 

The Skull Temple is supposedly so called because of its domed shape. Looked at full frontal (as it were) the door could be a mouth. The windows could be eyes - although there are additional windows not visible from directly in front of the temple that would distort the analogy. It still requires a great deal of imagination to see it as a skull.

 

The upper level, which some of you have already seen, is light and empty of all but a few worshippers. The gods here take on the shapes of animals. Garlands of bright yellow marigolds adorn the neck of a black bull. Fruit has been offered to a seated statue of a man with an elephant's head. Other animals include snakes and monkeys.

 

You have to root out a priest to open the stairs to the lower levels.

 

There are two, both set out as a museum of the ancient temples with items from all of them. The upper of the two has nothing of great interest but as you walk round and look back towards the stairs, the two circular openings give you pause for thought. Two smaller holes piece the walls to the right and left with no obvious purpose.

 

On the lower floor the door is a tall narrow isoceles triangle that must be mid way between the circular entrances on the floor above.

 

Again the exhibits are of limited interest. This museum has clearly been in place for a very long time and you can tell that nothing has been moved or removed for many years.

 

Hmmmmm!

[karkarinus]

At the inn, before leaving for the Temple:

 

Kalmer and T'Skar enter the inn, and go to the others. Suddenly, Kalmer is aware of a cloaked man sitting in one of the chairs around the table, and suddenly it hits him. "Shaman! You old trickster! I thought you were...." The man rises and turns to face him, whereupon Kalmer laughs aloud and pats Baba-Bethram warmly on the back. "For the last hour I have had a strange presentiment that something was awry back here at the inn, and now I see that just 'wry' would have been more appropriate! But come, the revelries must wait; we have a task at hand. Later we shall catch up on your escapades!"

 

 

 

At the Temple:

 

"It is as though the circular holes on the floor above were the eyes, and this triangular door is the nose of the 'skull'." says Kalmer thoughtfully. "Perhaps this is the reasoning behind the name of the Temple. Maybe we could ask the attendants what the other smaller holes are for?"

[tiaxanderson]

"Well nothing is stoping us from asking, perhaps there's some story behind it."

 

'But, unfortinatly, we are not here for stories...'

 

"Well I guess it's as good as any guess, I'll ask one of the attendants."

 

Tiax walks up to the nearest tendant.

 

"Excuse me my dear man, I was walking by and noticed theses holes," Tiax points them out as the tnedant looked up to see who was adressing him. ", and I was wondering if they might have some sort of use. That triangular door caught my eye aswell."

 

Tiax waited only for a small moment when he realised his questions may sound a bit to odd.

 

"You must forgive me, I am Tiax and I study the temples and their argitecture all across the land. Hence the question if they had any use."

[Malchik]

There is no attendant as such. This area is off limits to the public and because you were able to convince Arminda Sagrami to give you passes you are assumed to be trustworthy. (So no one has accompanied you.)

 

Tiax has to root out the priest on the top section again. The man seems a little irritated for being asked tourist type questions. You also sense that the question is awkward for some other reason.

 

He double checks the signature on the pass.

 

"Well. You must remember that the temple is very old. It would seem that once it stood in a depression. The depression filled in with sand over the years so the edifice was completely buried. When Ippikander wanted to use it again, the city built the new upper section above the ground but did not clear the sand away. No doubt when first built the grinning skull would have been terrible to behold. Perhaps they felt modern sensitivities would prefer it to stay buried. Anyhow, to answer your question; the two smaller holes would correspond to where the ears would have been."

 

It may perhaps occur to Tiax at this point that wandering off alone might make him a target for the loiterers. Perhaps someone else thought it a good idea to accompany him?

[DragonDudeAW]

Having chatted with Tiax a while, Aldhelm hardly notices Kyto walking off. However, when he returns, he informs Tiax and Aldhelm of the men and what the plan is for luring to the Temple where they can be dealt with. Upon arriving at the Temple, he finds the holes of less interest than the mention that the top floor was added later on. Going with Tiax back up to the temple's upper level, keeping a firm grip on his staff in case he should see the men Kyto warned him of, he asks the attendant, "So is the lower floor completeley hidden in sand or is it possible to access it?"

[phawk69]

T'skar is engrossed, looking at the artifacts, looking for something that may have come from the temple at Kolokon, and looking for statues like what Aldhelm had discribed to them. As she lifts her head from perusing one display case, movement off to the side catches her eye. Turning her head, she sees the hem of one of the magician's robes as they disappear up to the previous level. Catching Ari's eye, she nods for him to follow the retreating figure, scanning the room and realizing that both of them have gone. She moves closer to Kalmer and whispers "It looks like our wards have both slipped their guards and gone off exploring for themselves. I think I'll go ask the priest upstairs a few questions - some Mrs Sagrami may not have wanted to answer."

 

Following the steps of the two, and Ari, she comes up in time to hear Aldhelm ask "So is the lower floor completeley hidden in sand or is it possible to access it?" She waits for the (likely puzzled) reply and then asks "These whispers that have been heard, is there any time they are more active, any pattern to their occurance? And when was the last time they were heard?"

[Malchik]

The priest is even more agitated.

 

"She did give you passes but I'm not sure... For your own saftey..." After a good deal of muttering to himself he finally comes to a decision. "Look, here's the key. Pretend I dropped it. The whispering is on the lower floor. The entrance from this temple has been blocked after - problems. This key will take you in via the grille door on the beach. You will need torches and, I fear, weapons. Things that are dead and buried are not supposed to get up and run around in decaying form but something very like that appears to have happened here. I put it down to the statues."